Evidence of stock shortages has been pouring in to C+D since the launch of its online interactive reporting tool this month.

More than 20 pharmacies across the country have already reported examples of medicine shortages, including five cases where they believe patients have been severely harmed.

● Browne's Pharmacy in Sidcup, Kent reported three cases of severe patient harm. An asthma patient had difficulty breathing in this summer's heatwave when she could not get hold of Spiriva refill capsules. An asthma attack could have resulted in death, pharmacy manager Arvinder Gill told C+D.

Another patient had to be sent to a different branch because he could not get hold of the typhoid vaccine Typhim and a pregnant woman could not get Trandate for hypertension. "If she had a really bad night she may well have called 999," he said. "The facts aside, this is somebody's life, somebody's health."

● Witterings Pharmacy in East Wittering, Hampshire reported two cases of severe patient harm. A patient who had been taking Trazodone for 12 years for severe anxiety disorder had to be prescribed Diazepam and Mirtazipine due to a shortage. But this has "neither worked nor helped", the pharmacy reported. "The patient has been presenting sometimes in floods of tears, others trembling, panicking. It has caused her unnecessary stress."

Other medicines pharmacists have reported to be in short supply in the past fortnight:

Pancrease HL, Gabapentin, Questran, Tildiem LA, Bricanyl, Azilect, Caverject, co-triamterzide, Lomotil, Vesicare, Sulfinpyrazone  

C+D is building up a dossier of evidence to present to pharmacy minister Earl Howe after he called on pharmacists this month to prove that stock shortages were harming patients. Fill in our resources by October 12 and we will take your evidence to the government.

Visit the Sort Out Stocks homepage for more information and to sign C+D's petition against stock shortages.